I've visited here thrice over 2 decades and learn something new every time. I went on a Saturdsy in…read moreearly April was was unreasonably warm at 80 degrees. Our tour guide Wanda was informative. A family with 4 children between ages 3 to 8 were the others on my tour. The parents indicated that they were being home schooled which to me explained their good behavior and genuine interest in history. Understandably, the presentation was geared to the 4 children which I was fine with. The adjoining museum holds a surprising amount of Jackson paraphernalia, and the attendants were most helpful. Heard of Stonewall Jackson but interested in Major Jackson the family man and husband? Then check this out!

I did not visit the house but I stopped and reviewed this wonderful historical marker that is…read moreplaced outside. It's worth pointing out that we're in the south and Virginia fought for the Confederacy which may be a problem for some. The marker has the same text on both sides, reading "Virginia Military Institute instructor Maj. Thomas J. Jackson (1824-1863) and his second wife, Mary Anna Morrison (1831-1915), bought this house in 1858. Built ca. 1801, this typical middle-class dwelling was the only house Jackson ever owned. Enslaved African Americans Amy, Hetty, George, Cyrus, and Emma worked and lived on the property. Jackson left Lexington in April 1861 to fight for the Confederacy. Later known as "Stonewall," he became a lieutenant general. Mary Anna Jackson moved to North Carolina but owned this house until 1906, when it became the community hospital. The house has been a museum since 1954 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places." This is marker number Q-11-a and was erected by the Department of Historic Resources in 2021. [Review 19589 overall - 1426 in Virginia - 560 of 2023.]

My daughter and I had a great time hiking Humpback Rocks. Others give the directions so I will not…read more The Visitors Center has restrooms and more. The parking for the trailhead is across from the Visitors Center. Wear sturdy shoes, no flip flops or sandals. Take water you will need it, especially on hot days. Only attempt if in good health. Some will bring a good camera, if you have bring it. Obviously take your phone for photos, but keep in mind of weak reception at the top. My recommendation is to start out early AM, but after day break as the trail is too difficult in my opinion to navigate while dark. The trail is around a mile and a half and can take over an hour with breaks. Many can reach the top in 35-45. The view is 100% worth the effort. Be careful up there, it's no joke. Elevation is over 3000 feet.

Humpback Rocks is the first Visitor Center you'll encounter if you're heading south on the BRP from…read morethe north entrance. It's a small, but good little visitor center, with a small shop and a small exhibit inside. There are also bathrooms here, with are of decent quality. You will be most rewarded if you actually get out of your car for more than a few minutes and take a short walk through the living museum on the Mountain Farm Trail. I think it's about 3/4 of a mile round trip, through a living museum of authentic farm buildings, showing what life was like for people who lived in the area in the late 1800s, and there are interpreters to explain the farmhouse. So absolutely worth the visit if you're on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

I've gotta admit even though I was a Poly Sci major in college I didn't know much about Marshall…read moreother than the Marshall Plan. He had a really interesting life and this museum does a great job of showing it all. He was the Army Chief of Staff during WWII, Secretary of Defense, President of the Red Cross, and Secretary of State among other titles. This place shows it all without being boring or long winded, you can also see an Oscar and a Nobel Peace Prize here so that alone is worth a look.

A great museum on a historic school campus. The museum provides insights to Marshall's life and…read moresome World War II history. A phenomenal leader in both the military and senior government with a lasting legacy.

Such a nice museum. A little bit of everything and great assortment of dinosaur fossils. Would…read morenever had expected this in Martinsville. Took our Grandson and he really enjoyed it. Also was able to get a free day pass for all of us at the library

Awesome Attractions with the Life size replicas of the Animals, the Dinosaurs and We took some…read moreamazing photos. My Client really enjoyed Himself, We were also Greeted by such a Wonderful Staff, It was my first time Ever entering the Museum and I really enjoyed it too. I've been back several times and My Client and I are planning on visiting again. He's invited His family to come down from Christiansburg and they did, They too enjoyed it and purchased a lot of things which made my client very happy because He was the beneficiary of all the items.

This university has a unique historical niche. The name really is what it sounds like, and the…read moreuniversity has a several exhibitions memorializing George Washington and Robert E. Lee. Most notable is the university's chapel and Lee memorial, which had a volunteer out to explain the history (and the fact that the museum was being renovated so there wasn't a ton to see). Several other buildings were within walking distance, including one which housed exhibitions of porcelain, and some interesting pictures of mines with brightly colored chemicals. The individual museums were not large, but the combined experience is worth stopping to take a look at. There is no charge to enter and there is a small circle dedicated to museum parking.

Absolutely jaw dropping experience. I am a hugeeee civil war buff and seeing this in person was…read moreamazing. You enter the chapel doors and see Lee's bodice. You are able to walk around it and take pictures. Downstairs is his crypt and office. And outside the door downstairs is all the information about Traveller! Here's some history! It was 1861, Lee was in the mountains of West Virginia commanding a small Confederate force that would suffer defeat in the Battle of Cheat Mountain; this earned him the nickname "Granny Lee" because people thought he was afraid to shed blood. Here he met Captain Joseph M. Broun, quartermaster of the 3rd Infantry of Wise's Legion, mounted on a steed that would eventually become Lee's famous warhorse Traveller. The original owner named the horse Jeff Davis after the Mississippi senator who would become President of the Confederacy; but when Broun bought the horse for military service he renamed him Greenbriar. Before Lee had an opportunity to acquire the horse, he was sent on orders to the Palmetto State. Captain Broun's company was also later transferred to the Lowcountry. As fate would have it, he met Lee again at Pocotaligo. Immediately recognizing "his colt," the general still showed such a fancy for the horse that the junior officer realized he had little choice but to offer it up as a gift. Lee declined, saying he would gladly purchase the animal. Broun let Greenbriar go for the same price at which he purchased him: $175, or approximately $4,500 in today's currency, but the General added a tip of $15 to compensate for the depreciation of Confederate money. Lee named him Traveller. At the 2nd Battle of Bull Run, Traveller spooked and threw his master down against a stump. Lee broke both hands and finished out the campaign in an ambulance, or with a courier leading his horse. But, more generally, Traveller was noted for bravery and, at times, soldiers had to literally surround him and grab the reigns to keep him from plunging ahead with their commander onto the front lines of battle. In his final years, Lee served as President of Washington College in Lexington, Virginia. Traveller was allowed to graze about the campus, but so many star-struck students stole hairs from his mane and tail that Lee complained in a letter to his daughter, "He is presenting the appearance of a plucked chicken." In the fall of 1870, Lee suffered a stroke and died two weeks later. For the funeral procession, Traveller was saddled up and decked out with black crepe. He led along behind the ammunition cart bearing Lee's casket. Within a year, Traveller stepped on a rusty nail and contracted tetanus. He was shot to end his misery. Traveller was initially buried behind the main buildings of the college, but was unearthed by persons unknown and his bones were bleached for exhibition in Rochester, New York, in 1875/1876. In 1907, Richmond journalist Joseph Bryan paid to have the bones mounted and returned to what was now Washington AND Lee University. The skeleton was periodically vandalized there by students who carved their initials in it for good luck. In 1929, the bones were moved to the museum in the basement of the University Chapel, where they stood for 30 years, deteriorating with exposure. Finally in 1971, Traveller's remains were buried in a wooden box encased in concrete next to the chapel a few feet away from the Lee family crypt inside, where his master's body rests. The stable where he lived his last days, directly connected to the Lee House on campus, traditionally stands with its doors left open; this is said to allow his spirit to wander freely. When the 24th president of the university violated this tradition, he caught so much flack from the community that he had to have the doors repainted in a color he called "Traveller's Green," just so he could redeem himself.

Wow!! The architecture and design of this memorial was top-notch! The exhibits are amazing, and the…read morescene is a bit surreal. There are guided tours, or you can walk and take it at your pace. Check out the exhibits on the outer rims of the monument! And you can also safely board your dog in a temperature controlled environment as you visit, for free!!! Amazing!! There's also a walking trail through the woods, nice and shaded, and some interesting artifacts in the Q room. For the best deal, grab the combo ticket with Poplar Forest. You can go any time in a year, so you don't have to go the same day, but why not??!

This is without a doubt one of the most powerful memorials I've ever visited. The depth of history…read morebehind it is incredible, and the designers did an outstanding job capturing every aspect through the memorial itself. From the way they depicted the scale of the wall, to the soldiers climbing, the beach layout, simulated gunfire hitting the water, and even the landing ramp from the boats--every detail was thoughtfully designed and deeply impactful. I spent a good 20-30 minutes just taking it all in. The statue and the story of the Bedford Boys were especially moving--truly powerful and emotional. I also stopped by the gift shop and picked up a small souvenir. This place is absolutely worth a visit!

I had a day to entertain my two year old by myself in Roanoke. This place was perfect! It was in a…read moregreat location, just down the street from our hotel, so we walked. It was a reasonable price. It was the perfect size for her to get through in two hours. She had a blast going from room to room playing in all the different themes. She loved the playground area for climbing and slides. She also loved the little camping area. The Kroger exhibit was quite a hit as well. I loved that she was learning about all the different trades and burning energy at the same time. I also loved the details they put into each station. The news reporting with the live broadcast and microphones were really fun. The working cash register experience at the Kroger experience was awesome. The black light area was a lot of fun too. I think I had as much fun as she did! Definitely recommend for anyone with a toddler and at least two hours to get through it.

My son absolutely loved this place and there were so many activities to do. It's well worth the $9…read moreper person and the price is nothing at all. You can spend hours in here. There isn't time did mission and you can stay as long as you want. There's activities for just about every interest your child can possibly have, a market place, a salon, trains, jungle gyms, digging, construction, sensory play, a black room, literally everything. The staff keeps it nice and clean, but your expected to clean up after your child as well, of course. There's even a section for kids two and below. The only thing I wasn't really fond of was when we first walked in, the employee was talking to my three year old autistic child, and telling him the rules, which he really doesn't understand, and she was expecting a response back from him. Just because you don't know the nature of younger children, I think it's better to direct rules and everything to parents, so they can direct it to the child.

From the outside I never expected to see such an amazing variety of quality exhibits highlighting…read moreour nation's transportation history. Located in downtown Roanoke's historic freight station, The Virginia Museum of Transportation does a great job in preserving Virginia's transportation history with a major focus on rail, featuring iconic locomotives like the N&W Class J 611 and Class A 1218. It houses a vast collection of steam, diesel, and electronic locomotives, including famous Roanoke-built engines. The museum offers interactive family-friendly exhibits covering trains, automobiles, and aviation, featuring over 30 antique automobiles, aviation displays, an outside railyard with historical locomotives on the rail, and a U.S. Army Jupiter Rocket. In 2025 it also launched the Maritime Gallery, with the Naval History of Virginia, located on a second floor. There they also have an interesting exhibit of the Circus and America's Railroads. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and its amazing exhibits. The museum also houses the Traveler's Treasures Gift Shop with lots of desired item for sale, such as pins, posters, apparel, wooden trains, hats, toys, books, and tumblers, among other items. These can be also purchased from their website vmt.org Free parking is available for guests immediately adjacent to the museum. Also, cross from the museum is located the award winning Valley Metro Third Street Station, providing convenient bus transportation. Admissions prices are reasonable at $14.77 for adults, and discounted to $12.66 for Youth (13-17), Seniors, and Students with ID (17-59). Children (3-12) pay $10.55, and 2 & under are Free. I highly recommend you visit this museum if you have not yet done so. It is definitely an enriching experience.

I was in Roanoke for work and work ended early for me and since it wasn't dinner time, I'd say to…read morestop at the Virginia museum of transportation. They have there planes, trains, and automobiles. Reminds me of a movie I once saw. The museum is very nice. They have a big area for trains lots of information about trains. They also have airplanes there. They have one hanging from the ceiling. They have a couple cars actually more than a couple cars. Some of them were very nice, but it's a good place to go for a couple hours and check it out.

Fun and free activity. Great friendly and knowledgeable staff…read more Easy way to learn the history of the area.

Loved learning the history and being able to see the inside of the building. The staff was so…read morefriendly, helpful, and knowledgeable!